National initiative tackles employment barriers for justice-impacted people and highlights the power of teamwork in building an economy that works for all through Fair Chance hiring
Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations
cgross@ceoworks.org | (646) 370-8292
New York, NY–April 1, 2026–The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), the nation’s largest reentry employment provider, today announced the launch of Game Plan for Opportunity, a national public awareness campaign, in partnership with the NFL’s social justice initiative, Inspire Change. Anchored in the spirit of Fair Chance Month, which also happens to be the same month as the NFL Draft, the Game Plan for Opportunity campaign shows how justice-impacted talent and fair chance employers build stronger teams.
“When cheering for your team, you’re not thinking about the background of the person sitting next to you. You’re united by a shared love of the game. That spirit of connection is at the heart of Game Plan for Opportunity,” said Sam Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Employment Opportunities. “This campaign shows that we are more alike than different, and that, like the NFL Draft, people deserve to be evaluated based on their skills, preparation, and potential. This Fair Chance Month and draft season, CEO and the NFL are on the same team, championing the idea that fair chance hiring strengthens businesses and communities.”
“Inspire Change was built on the belief that everybody deserves a fair shot and that the NFL has a responsibility to use its platform to make that real,” said Trinity Monteiro, Senior Coordinator of Social Responsibility at the NFL. “CEO is proving at scale that connecting justice-impacted citizens to sustainable careers strengthens communities – exactly the kind of evidence-based, high-impact work we support.”
Fair Chance Month is a nationwide initiative to reduce employment barriers for people who have been incarcerated. Timed to the cultural momentum of the NFL Draft, Game Plan for Opportunity draws a compelling parallel between football’s belief in potential and the importance of giving individuals a fair shot at meaningful employment. Just as NFL teams draft their players based on readiness, work ethic, and potential — not just past setbacks — Game Plan for Opportunity encourages employers to level the playing field, expand their roster, and enact fair chance hiring practices.
Using NFL fandom as a point of connection, Game Plan for Opportunity will produce a storytelling series that pairs justice-impacted and non-justice-impacted employees who share a love of football. While their backgrounds may differ, their shared passion for the game — and what it represents, from teamwork to community pride — becomes a powerful metaphor for opportunity and belonging.
Game Plan for Opportunity is the next drive in CEO’s partnership with NFL Inspire Change. In 2024, NFL Inspire Change awarded a prestigious grant to CEO to scale its Emerging Leaders Program, an on-the-job apprenticeship program where justice-impacted people have the opportunity to work alongside CEO teams and gain real-world, in-demand professional skills. This expansion had a ripple effect, strengthening families and communities while fostering a more inclusive and equitable workforce.
By supporting CEO’s Game Plan for Opportunity campaign, NFL Inspire Change is using its national platform to elevate a data-driven workforce playbook that promotes safer, stronger communities. Research consistently shows that when people returning from incarceration are connected to sustainable careers, they are more likely to remain employed, avoid future justice system involvement, and contribute to economic growth.
“We’re all on the same team — it takes all of us to build an economy that works for all,” added Schaeffer
###
About the Center for Employment Opportunities
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. CEO currently operates in 30 cities in 12 states and is dedicated to ensuring justice-impacted people have opportunities to achieve socioeconomic mobility. For more information, visit ceoworks.org.
About NFL Inspire Change
Inspire Change is the NFL's social justice initiative, aimed at reducing barriers to opportunity, particularly in underserved communities, and showcasing how the NFL family is working together to create positive change. Inspire Change comes to life at all levels of the league — current and former players: NFL teams and ownership; and throughout the league office. For more information, visit https://www.nfl.com/causes/inspire-change/